Is this too busy?
 

My brother is a wine enthusiastic and I thought I'd make him a wine quilt. I found lots of really cool wine fabric and put this together. It just seems to busy. Is it me? Should I make some changes? Any ideas out there? I included my two border ideas.

I like the second border best. Might tone it down with some black sashing maybe or any color fairly solid

Just wanted to add, I like your quilt!

He will love the quilt. I also like the second one best, and some sashing would make it pop more.

I definitely vote for the second border idea. There is a lot going on in the quilt, but a wine enthusiast will be enthusiastic about it! He will love that you made it so personal. Great job!

I'm on board with the others, love the second choice better! Also think sashing would be great! You've collected a great selection of wine fabrics, great job!

I think it's a great, fun quilt. Guess I'm the oddball here - I like the first border.

Definitely the second border and absolutely add some sashing. It doesn't have to be terribly wide, but it will give the eye a place to rest and will make the whole quilt look less busy. BTW you picked great fabrics and it is going to be gorgeous! Great job.

Actually, I like the first border idea. And I'm wondering what a sashing would do to the effect of the continuous diagonal lines. It will be a beautiful quilt however you choose to finish it.

I like the second border better also. I would put a 1.5inch solid border around the main quilt before you put the border on. The quilt is lovely.

I must be odd man out as I would take apart the triangles that make up the square and have reset matching like triangles to make up the square . I think this would showcase the fabrics better. Your connecting points are great

I love the second choice with the two borders. I agree with the others. A black or maybe one of the reds from your blocks, "stopper" border between the blocks and that first wine bottle border will make everything pop. I really like your blocks. Your brother will love the quilt.

It seems kind of small. What will be the finished size?

I would suggest that, if you have a big piece of black fabric, you lay out your blocks on the fabric leaving about 1.5" between the blocks to see what it would look like with black sashing. Also as a first border. I think that it might make everything pop and make a break between the blocks and the busy border.

I too thought of black sashings but nixed that thought. it is fine as is. not too busy and i like the second pic best. Good going!!

I like the second set of borders best. Beautiful fabrics and colors - I think sashing in between the blocks would be lovely.

Look closely at the body of the quilt. There is a diagonal pattern that will be lost if sashing is added. I like the first picture but would like to see what it would look like with a narrow, solid (black?) border around the quilt, then the print border.

I like the first border. Not too busy to me. Very nice quilt.

I like the second also. I really like your quilt!

While I like the design of the wine bottle border, I think it only adds to the busyness of the foundation of the quilt. I love the dark background border though. My opinion--a very narrow black sashing between the blocks and use only the dark background piece for the border. I can't tell from the pictures but is the rust strip a part of the black background border? If not, it might be a nice color for sashing unless it tends to be too much like the one strip that I see in the blocks.

I agree 100% with this. I think your brother will be thrilled with it and even though there is a lot going on in your fabulous wine prints I do see a secondary pattern emerge of the light and dark diagonal stripes. And definitely go with that second border with the wine bottles. It totally makes the quilt IMHO and does double duty toning down all that is going on in the main part.

Sashing will tone it down but if loves wine, he may just love it as is.

TWO borders and it is perfect! Okay, I have read the other posts and I agree a flange of red or IMHO a wine color flange will give it a pop.

It is busy, but I like it. I like the second border better.

If this were mine to finish, I would find a neutral that is most common to the blocks and frame the quilt... then the darker floral and finally the wine bottles. This progression takes the broken wine elements in the blocks and assembles them back into their original form and anchors the quilt.

It is a busy quilt, but it's lovely. There is absolutely nothing wrong with having a busy quilt or a red quilt or too much yellow. You did a great job on this quilt.

I vote for #2, and would add a small solid black border before adding these two. Nice work!

Yes, it's busy to me. But if I were huge fan of wines, the fabrics would tickle me.

I also like the first one but agree that it should have a solid color border in between the quilt and the other border. Great job on your choices for him.

agree
 

I agree with redquilter.

I also agree; it is a beautiful quilt. I really like a lot going on in a quilt, so it isn't too busy for me!

I totally agree with the fact that you might try a black sash between the blocks.. lay them on apiece of black fabric and space them to see how it looks.. But I sure think the quilt is beautiful...

I vote for 2nd border, also. Nice quilt.

I like both options so I guess it just depends on how big you want the quilt to be. Nice job by the way.

Y E S!!! and I love it!! That wine border pattern is awesome!

the double border is nice, however, I think you need a black 'resting area' for the eyes between. maybe 2" or so to frame up the quilt b4 the border.

I like it, too! 2nd border ........

Thanks for all the great ideas! I moved things around so there is a bit more symmetry and added a back border to frame the quilt before adding the border. I'll post a picture when I'm done.

He will love this no matter how you finish it. It's kool. BrendaK

I like the first border example. A narrow black sashing between the blocks would help separate and add definition. Lovely quilt, he will love it!

I really like your last pic. I think this is the best layout. What is the pattern? I know I have seen it but can not come up with the name.

I thought the first picture was just fine. I like the first border because it's darker and frames the quilt. Definitely NO sashing, would spoil the flow of the quilt. I hope you keep it just as it is. Congratulations on a job well done.